Check the level in your battery

[virgilmobile]

If you have that kind.
I've had a Walmart charger on my bike on and off for the last 8 months.
Its gonna end up in the trash can.POJ.
While getting ready for the ride tomarrow,the charger is blinking "fault" again.
Just to check things out,this is what I find.

It took 22 ounces to fill it back up.
I blame the charger.This one.

The charging system on the bike is perfect.

[WingAdmin]

I had a Harbor Freight "float charger" do the exact same thing to a battery. It also went into the garbage.

[dingdong]

I have one of those newer models (Shumacher) that are junk. I also have the older model, transformer power instead of solid state, that I still use and it will even charge a battery from dead. The newer model, even when working, won't re-charge if even slightly low.

[Mh434]

I have several Schumacher chargers (on some, you find the Schumacher label under a different retailer's house label), from little pocket ones to a huge (on wheels) heavy-duty, direct-engine-start model.

So far, every last Schumacher I've owned has failed. I usually bought them because they were the MOST expensive (so, naturally, the best, right?), not the LEAST expensive.

The largest one, I bought for a vehicle that I got rid of before I ever used the charger. When I needed it (literally, the day after the warranty expired), I took it out of the box, plugged it in, hooked it up according to directions, and over the course of a couple of hours (it worked properly, initially) it reversed its charge process, sucked 100% of the charge out of my new Porsche battery ($$$$!!!!), and caused a permanent fail in the battery.

I will buy ANYTHING BUT Schumacher-sourced chargers. I've got a couple of tiny El-Cheapo "smart" chargers (not Schumacher - I checked!!) that work wonders, and I've come to rely on them absolutely. Even on a long-dead battery, they'll sometimes bring 'em back to life after a few days. I use these little guys on my bike, sports car, scooter, etc. all winter, and they all start like they've got a new fresh battery, after months on the charger.

Just don't get a Schumacher one!!!

[reggiefavre]

I also had one of those battery float chargers years ago. Cooked a battery in my 76 LTD. Ever since then I use a 24 hour timer, set it to switch a regular small battery charger set to it's lowest setting that can be used on anything for 1 hour each night at midnight. I do check the water about 1 time a month. During the summer I might add some might not. Always ready to crank up and go any time day or night. Even in the winter when it is around 25-35 degrees cranks right up. I get 4 to 5 years out of the battery both on my 81 INT and my 67 Electra-Glide. Cheap foolproof solution. This way the batteries stay fully charged and it don't tax the alternator or generator after the first start up. I now have a 87 INT and will fix it up soon. Try it you might like it.

[harvey01]

I have a couple Deltran Battery Tender Plus charger/maintainers. They seem to have worked well over the last 15 or so years.

I also have one of their JR Battery Tenders that I carry when travelling. It has come in handy a couple of times for others bikes. Deltran's units are not cheap and are available at a lot of suppliers such as Competition Accessories and Amazon.

[cbx4evr]

Cetech is my charger of choice.

[tech1]

Hello all
I dont use a charger on my bike over winter. I just start it up about once a month and let it warm up to NOT.
Tech1

[CWJ73]

I have a couple Deltran Battery Tender Plus charger/maintainers. They seem to have worked well over the last 15 or so years.

I also use battery tender plus. I have one hooked up to the bike and one hooked up to my trailer batteries. I don't run the bike over the winter. Once it's parked it stays parked till the weather is good enough to ride again.

[Fatwing Chris]

Hello all
I dont use a charger on my bike over winter. I just start it up about once a month and let it warm up to NOT.
Tech1

Personally I'd say you'd be better off looking after your battery while stored and not run it.All the temperature changes(and you do live where it's cold)can and will introduce condensation into your motor.IS it enough to hurt anything who knows,but why take the chance?Not only that,but you're loading your exhaust with water every time you run it.

[tech1]

Hello all
I dont use a charger on my bike over winter. I just start it up about once a month and let it warm up to NOT.
Tech1

Personally I'd say you'd be better off looking after your battery while stored and not run it.All the temperature changes(and you do live where it's cold)can and will introduce condensation into your motor.IS it enough to hurt anything who knows,but why take the chance?Not only that,but you're loading your exhaust with water every time you run it.

NOT is short for Normal Operating temperature.
I'm not loading up the ehaust with water. I disagree with not staring it up and warming it up now and then. It does not harm it anyway. My 30+ years of being a ASE certified Master Technition with L1 Advance Engine preformance certified is my knowing better.

Tech1 (PS Tech1 is GM's first handheld bidirectional scanner)

[Mh434]

I'm with tech1 on this one. Running the bike up to full running temperature for a while, from time to time, circulates the oil, lubricates bearings & seals, keeps the timing belts from taking a set, and dries the exhaust out thoroughly (helping to avoid corrosion), among other things. In the 45 years I've been tuning, repairing, and in some cases scratch-building boats, cars, motorcycles etc. this simple maintenance technique has kept all my machines happy, limber, and ready to roll, as though I just parked them the night before.

[Fatwing Chris]

Hello all
I dont use a charger on my bike over winter. I just start it up about once a month and let it warm up to NOT.
Tech1

Personally I'd say you'd be better off looking after your battery while stored and not run it.All the temperature changes(and you do live where it's cold)can and will introduce condensation into your motor.IS it enough to hurt anything who knows,but why take the chance?Not only that,but you're loading your exhaust with water every time you run it.

NOT is short for Normal Operating temperature.
I'm not loading up the ehaust with water. I disagree with not staring it up and warming it up now and then. It does not harm it anyway. My 30+ years of being a ASE certified Master Technition with L1 Advance Engine preformance certified is my knowing better.

Tech1 (PS Tech1 is GM's first handheld bidirectional scanner)

I've been a certified tech for a hundred years(15 years GM) also so yes I know what NOT stands for.How are you not loading the exhaust with water(you know the byproduct from combustion)?You need a good road test to get the exhaust hot enough to get rid of all the water.I'll stick by the introducing condensation into your motor also.Anytime there is a drastic change in tempurature(32* to NOT to 32*) you're going to end up with the engine block sweating inside and out.Far better to store it properly and walk away from it,but hey it's your bike you do what you want.That'll be one more thing to add to my checklist when I'm buying a used Wing.Was it stored properly or did you start it once a month over the winter?

[tech1]

A hundred years??? Ok

[Fatwing Chris]

A hundred years??? Ok

A bit of an exaggeration,but I am older than dirt.
What I have figured out in my years in the trade is that if someone is telling you how good a tech they are then they're usually not.You hear about the good techs from other techs and customers.

BTW Just about everyone that works for GM is a Grand Master Tech unless you choose not to do the tests.Been there done that.

[harvey01]

I have never seen any tech data that supports starting and letting and engine run till warm/hot if the vehicle is in storage. The problem always mentioned has been condensation primarily in the exhaust. A good 40/60 minute ride with cruising speeds seems to be the best thing if you must start it In the off season.

Even the tech writers for various magazines support not starting a bike in winter unless taken for a ride.

[redial]

Of course there is an alternative so that you will never have to face this predicament - move to Oz!